Finally, Rivalry Week is upon us. For some leagues, Week 13 has no special significance. And, if the AFC were one of those other leagues, it would certainly have little relevance, as all six playoff spots are clinched. But the OIL is different, and we reserve the last week of the regular season for rivalry games. See the matchups after the jump. Commentary is limited to matchups that have playoff implications, as 21 matchups is a lot to sift through when the commish is about to head to DFW for the Saints-Cowboys game.

It took 12 weeks, but we finally have 2/3 of the playoff picture sorted out. Pyle, Cobb, Finch, and Cliburn have clinched playoff spots. Jessen, Trovillo, Bruesch, and Duffy are fighting for the final two berths. That makes this Rivalry Week incredibly important. Each of the four managers still hoping to clinch a playoff spot are in absolute must-win situations in this, the most important week of the season. Good luck to everyone but Duffy. Fuck Duffy, for this is Hate Week.

Head-to-head records in paranthesis

#4 Arrogant Americans vs. #8 Hangovers​(8-4)

Duffy has a very slim chance at the playoffs, even with a victory during Rivalry Week. So this game will be his OIL Bowl. Meanwhile, Cliburn has clinched a playoff spot. The 'Mericans are not as strong as their record indicates, but they're facing a Hangovers team that has battled injuries and disappointment all season. I am picking my 'Mericans to take back the crown in this grudge match.

Welcome to Love/Hate Week, also known as Rivalry Week. Unfortunately for some teams, they have to beat their rivals to secure a place in the playoffs, Some teams have an outside shot at getting the second place bye in the playoffs. The rest is playing for pride. This week is really going to have a good story line for a lot of teams.

Game of the Week:​#1 ​Redlegs vs. #3 Rebel Alliance

The Rebel Alliance beat the Redlegs last year, ensuring their spot in the playoffs while keeping the Redlegs out of the tournament. This matchup seems to be a close one as it is an even push. I like the Rebel Alliance in this game, as they have more to play for than the Redlegs, however, the Redlegs have been on a hot streak as of late, winning six straight games.

According to the dictionary, hate is defined as a feeling of intense or passionate (like Schuster's passion for men) dislike for someone. This is called hate week: hate like the feeling when American Idol cuts into a sporting event. The type of hate you felt when you were back in Kuwait, being threatened by a size 13 boot that supposedly was about to be shoved up your third point of contact. Or hate like when the planes would not fly us home in time for Thanksgiving because the travel of Americans within the United States was far more important . . . that kind of hate. That is exactly what we have going on this week; it is HATE WEEK.

First, let us discuss last week's game. Poor Walter watched his kicker line up for what would be the winning kick, just to watch it get blocked and cost him yet another win. His Mutinous Apes lost by less than a point. Every other game was pretty lopsided and were not even close. This week not only do we have Rivalry week going, but some rivals will knock each other out of playoff contention this week.

Welcome to week 13: Rivalry Week. This is the week where playoff hopes don't matter. Your season isn't over, no matter how poor your record. This week you get a chance at bragging rights for the next year. Time to beat your rivals, gentlemen. My 'Mericans are 4-8. The Hangovers are 2-10. Neither one of us are making the playoffs, but I can't express enough how much a Rivalry Week victory will salvage our seasons to some degree.

Of course, there are playoff implications this week (just not in my matchup). Finch and Leal are one win away from guaranteeing a first-round bye. Finch can probably guarantee a first-round bye even with a loss, but a win here would break the OIL record for most consecutive victories (putting Finch at 11-straight). His Hard Targets are averaging 178.82 points over their last seven games (and when you take out the outliers on the high end and low end, he's averaging 183.64 points over that stretch). So this 10-game winning streak is no fluke. They're the favorite heading into the playoffs.

If Leal falters, Bruesch could snag a bye with a win over the godless Dogs of War. Jessen could play spoiler against a Rogers team that needs a win to ensure a playoff spot. Pyle can do the same with a win against Schmidt (who he has struggled against historically), and Schmidt could sneak into the playoffs with a win against Pyle (and a little help). Pyle hasn't made the playoffs since 2010, so this is a HUGE matchup. It would be just like Schmidt to keep Pyle from making the tournament for a fifth-straight season.

​Lots going on this week. We'll be sure to discuss it all on the podcast Wednesday at 1900 CST. Here are last week's matchup results; Rivalry Week analysis after the jump.

UPDATE: Week 13 Results

The NFC's Rivalry Week is upon us. Here are the uniform matchups and playoff implications of each game. The "home" team is the franchise that won last season's Rivalry Week matchup. Of course, the winner of this year's Rivalry Week matchup will be the home team next season. Click on the franchise's uniform to view their full uniform set. Each playoff matchup will be previewed in this way as well, with the higher-seeded team being the home team.

Away vs. Home(Series Record)

As the home team, Duffy's Hangovers will be wearing their green jerseys. Cliburn's Arrogant Americans will wear their all-whites. Historically, the Americans have dominated this series, but the two split last year. Duffy won the Rivalry Week matchup while Cliburn got revenge in the semi-finals.

Analysis: Cliburn is still in the hunt for a first-round bye. And Duffy is still fighting for a playoff spot, but he needs to win this matchup to have a chance. A loss would give the Hangovers a losing record and end their season.

As the away team, Schmidt's Dead Again will be wearing their white jerseys. For Rivalry Week, Pyle's 2006 champion (and 2008 runner-up) Lucky Enuf will wear their neon green alternates for the first time this season. Although Pyle has had far more success in the OIL, Schmidt has been a constant thorn in his side, sporting an 8-5 record against Lucky Enuf.

Analysis: This is Schmidt's worst season to date. And Pyle has seen better days, too. But this is the OIL's original rivalry, and these guys love to beat each other. So, while neither team will make the playoffs, it's a good matchup between two of the original OIL franchises.

Baldwin's newly-rebranded Roughnecks (formerly Reapers) will wear their gold and black home uniforms against the higher-ranked (and OIL Bowl favorite) Hard Targets, owned by Finch. The Hard Targets will wear their away uniforms (with sublimated camouflage on sleeves, numbers and pants). Personally, I wish they were the home team so they could bust out their olive drab alternates, but maybe that will happen in the playoffs. This is only the fourth year of this series, as Baldwin did not join the OIL until 2011. But these two were roommates both in Iraq and back in Oklahoma, so the trash talk is always intense. Baldwin has a 2-1 series lead on Finch, but Finch has the far better team this season.

Analysis: This matchup has minimal playoff implications. Finch has already clinched a playoff position and is now just hoping for a first round bye. Baldwin has won four in a row, but his seven losses will keep him out of the playoffs. This one is all about pride for the Roughnecks.

Henderson's DARC NARCS will sport their 8-bit graphic-inspired home black uniforms. Trovillo's Dirty Hippies will wear their traditional away jerseys with tie-dyed accents. Perhaps we can look forward to the Hippies' tie-dyed home jersey in the playoffs. This is another relatively new rivalry, but it makes sense as undercover narcotics officers and hippies probably do hate each other. Here, the NARCS own a 3-1 series lead.

Analysis: The Hippies are one of three teams fighting for a first-round bye, so they can't afford to overlook Henderson's squad. Yes, they've already clinched a playoff spot, but the first-round bye is incredibly valuable. Meanwhile, the NARCS have a chance at the playoffs with a loss, but they can clinch the playoffs outright with a win.

Leal's Norman Nobodies will wear their home jerseys against former champion Morgan's Whackers in their white away jersey. These two played high school football together. They were roommates in Iraq. Morgan beat Leal in 2007 for his only OIL Bowl championship, but Leal owns a slight 6-4 series lead (including a victory last season).

Analysis: After suffering his seventh loss last week, Morgan is now playing for pride. Leal has been in that boat for a while now, as the Nobodies' 3-9 record is tied for the league-worst. So, no playoff implications here, but a very good matchup of bitter rivals.

2013 champion Cobb's Dogs of War will likewise wear their home jersey (with sublimated pitbull on the shoulders) against two-time champion Bruesch's SoonerJack in their white-on-white away uniforms. This is the only rivalry where each franchise has won an OIL Bowl. SoonerJack has won two, in fact (2008; 2011). But Cobb has dominated this series featuring former Third Platoon soldiers 7-2.

Analysis: This battle featuring former champions is all about pride as both teams are guaranteed to have losing seasons. Perhaps Bruesch can cut into Cobb's 7-2 series lead, which is the most lopsided of the league's rivalries.

The OIL Game of the Week

Jessen's DominationStation will take the field in their "pain train" home uniforms against Rogers's AMMODOGS in their alternate away uniforms inspired by the old Acme Packers. These two used to talk trash while serving in the same launcher. Now they do it in week 13. Jessen holds a 3-1 series edge, but the teams are pretty evenly-matched this season.

Analysis: This is the perfect Rivalry Week matchup. Not only are these two bitter rivals, but each team's playoff hopes come down to this game. Win this game, and you're in the playoffs. It's that simple. Rivalry Week matchups don't get any better than that.